Honestly, the "No compromises" thing is more concerning than the first one from my perspective. You see this dynamic with the extreme right ( and really, the extreme left too) who acts like compromise and dialogue is some inherent evil.

Like to think of it as another way in which Randism has infected this country.

Honestly, the "No compromises" thing is more concerning than the first one from my perspective. You see this dynamic with the extreme right ( and really, the extreme left too) who acts like compromise and dialogue is some inherent evil.

Like to think of it as another way in which Randism has infected this country.

Politics: a process by which groups of people make collective decisions.

Seems to me no compromise effectively means "Why should any of us bother including you?"

Honestly, the "No compromises" thing is more concerning than the first one from my perspective. You see this dynamic with the extreme right ( and really, the extreme left too) who acts like compromise and dialogue is some inherent evil.

Like to think of it as another way in which Randism has infected this country.

You have to understand that, to loons like Bachmann, "compromise" means they have to agree that the Democrats have some ideas worth supporting or at least not opposing in order to get their own ideas passed. And they refuse to do that, as they believe Democrats are "evil" and plan to destroy America. So, but refusing compromise and pushing "pure" ideology, they believe they are actually saving America and making it great again.

Oh good grief. They demand our wombs and now they want our souls too. I thought the republican party was all about staying out of our lives. At least that was what my lifelong republican mama and daddy always told me.

It was a painstaking process to determine this. They had to read the whole Bible and make sure that nowhere was it written "Michelle Bachmann can't be President of the United States." They lost a lot of staffers who became a liability after they absorbed some of the scripture's content beyond the approved read list of Revelations, a few bits in John, and assorted fragments of Daniel.

Her campaign has no comment about those very words being carved on the inside of the lid to Nostradamus's coffin.

Founding principles of America (1) –
Republican democracy: Explicitly denied by the Bible. Rather than democracy, the Bible's preferred model of government is a divine-right kingship, where one individual is hereditarily chosen and wields supreme power. This is what America's founders were rebelling against when they brought forth this nation

Founding principles of America (2) –
Separation of powers: Explicitly denied by the Bible. As above, in the Bible's divine-right monarchy, a single individual wields supreme power over all functions of government. Some apologists seek to find an equivalent in a verse from Isaiah 33 - "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king" - but what they overlook is that this verse explicitly envisions all three of these powers as being held by the same person.

Founding principles of America (3) –
Federalism: Partial equivalent in the Bible. The Old Testament's society, where each of the twelve tribes of Israel has partial autonomy over its own region, is similar to the American model of states. However, there is a notable dissimilarity as well: the Bible envisions membership in a tribe as hereditary, whereas states are made up of free collections of individuals who can move around at will. In any case, some sort of hierarchy is unavoidable in any organization too large for a single person to directly oversee.

Founding principles of America (4) –
The process of amendment: Explicitly denied by the Bible. Rather than creating a living, dynamic system of laws that can be improved and mended as society sees fit, the Bible claims that its laws are eternal and immutable, literally set in stone, and can neither be added to nor changed. The Old Testament says that each of its laws "shall be a statute forever" (Leviticus 23:41), and the New Testament says that anyone who suggests a different gospel should be accursed (Galatians 1:8-9).

Founding principles of America (5) –
Religious freedom: Explicitly denied by the Bible. Far from granting people the right to worship as they see fit, the Bible says that anyone who encourages believers to serve other gods, or anyone who speaks "blasphemy", should be killed (Deuteronomy 13:6-9, Leviticus 24:16). God himself joins in on many occasions by slaughtering people who worship different gods (Exodus 22:20). Although Jesus does say that people should "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" (Mark 12:17), there is no indication that any non-Christian should enjoy the same freedom of worship as believers.

Founding principles of America (6) –
Freedom of speech, assembly, press and petition: Explicitly denied by the Bible. As above, the Bible does not grant freedom of speech, but rather threatens death for those who speak in unapproved ways. Ancient Israel had no concept of the press, but there are also many cases in which people were killed for unapproved assemblies or for questioning their leaders (Numbers 16:35).

Founding principles of America (7) –
Protection from search and seizure: No equivalent in the Bible. Lacking a judicial system or separation of powers, ancient Israel had no notion of search warrants or of protection from arbitrary seizure.

Founding principles of America (8) –
Trial by jury: No equivalent in the Bible. Again, the Bible has nothing like our custom of the legal or judicial system. It does say that a man who suspects his wife of committing adultery can bring her before the priests and force her to drink "bitter water" which will cause her belly to swell and her thighs to rot if she is guilty (Numbers 5). If anything, this is most similar to the barbaric concept of trial by ordeal. It also says that anyone who accidentally kills someone may be killed without consequence by a relative of the deceased (whom it calls the "avenger of blood") (Joshua 20). Again, no mention is made of convening a jury to determine the guilt of the accused. Finally, it says that any person may be convicted of a crime on the testimony of just two witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15), which is a far cry from the American legal system.

Founding principles of America (9) –
Protection from cruel or unusual punishment: Explicitly denied by the Bible. One of the most common punishments prescribed by the Bible is stoning - bludgeoning a person to death by smashing in his head and face with rocks. This penalty is prescribed for crimes such as disobeying one's parents (Deuteronomy 21:21), picking up sticks on Sunday (Numbers 15:36), or being gay (Leviticus 20:13). This is "cruel and unusual" punishment by any rational definition of that term.

Founding principles of America (10) –
Equality of all people under the law: Explicitly denied by the Bible. The Bible makes it clear that the Israelites enjoyed special favor as compared to everybody else, and were treated differently by the Mosaic law code. For example, foreigners taken as slaves could be kept indefinitely, while Israelite slaves were freed every seven years during Jubilee (Leviticus 25:39-46). Even among Israelites, there were stark divisions: women are worth considerably less than men (Leviticus 27:1-7), and the handicapped are discriminated against (Leviticus 21:17-23). Even Jesus joins in by making statements comparing non-Jews to dogs (Mark 7:27).

Oh good grief. They demand our wombs and now they want our souls too. I thought the republican party was all about staying out of our lives. At least that was what my lifelong republican mama and daddy always told me.

(note to self: stop trying to post comments until nails dry.)

Really...it's now a party of hypocrites and cretins.

Did you see this:

Stepping off the bus as the song “Eye of the Tiger” blared, he described the election as a fight “to save the soul of America.”

Talk about being out of touch with contemporary music. It's just campy, and not a good kind of campy either.

Mitt Romney is making me like him less and less. If he keeps this kind of shit up, I might come to the conclusion that he needs to be completely and utterly destroyed and sent off into the wilderness GWB style. Thank goodness Obama probably doesn't respect him the way that I think he genuinely respected John McCain. Obama had to be respectful to McCain, he was old and a war hero. He can go after Mitt with no reservation or remorse. I look forward to it.

Oh good grief. They demand our wombs and now they want our souls too. I thought the republican party was all about staying out of our lives. At least that was what my lifelong republican mama and daddy always told me.

(note to self: stop trying to post comments until nails dry.)

Republicans are all about government staying out of your business...just so long as your business doesn't go against government-mandated morals and ethics.

Wouldn't you, after seeing this picture? :P (and yes, I know this is the third time I've posted it...but there is no better visual symbol for the douchebaggitude that is Romney. For a bonus auditory assault, look at it while a megawatt stereo system blares "Eye of the Tiger").

Oh good grief. They demand our wombs and now they want our souls too. I thought the republican party was all about staying out of our lives. At least that was what my lifelong republican mama and daddy always told me.

(note to self: stop trying to post comments until nails dry.)

But see dear that's what you don't understand. Your womb isn't yours and my womb isn't mine. It's a place to grow babies on behalf of Jesus. To these people you don't really own yourself or your body. To these people rapists have more of a right to decide when they want to be father's than you and I have a right to decide when we want to be mothers.

The group also includes Tamara Scott of Norwalk, and former state Rep. Danny Carroll of Grinnell.

In the release, Pastor Matt Floyd said, "The Scriptures make it clear that we should choose leaders who fear God, are capable, trustworthy and keep his commandments. Michele Bachmann does exactly that."

And Tamara Scott said, “We’ve longed for a candidate who wouldn’t compromise on liberty, morality, or national sovereignty. We now have one, only one, and it’s time we support her. Christians understand our duty is to vote virtue and leave the results to God. Thankfully, the Davids and Gideons of the Bible didn’t look to pollsters or pundits for their success and neither should we.”

Wouldn't you, after seeing this picture? :P (and yes, I know this is the third time I've posted it...but there is no better visual symbol for the douchebaggitude that is Romney. For a bonus auditory assault, look at it while a megawatt stereo system blares "Eye of the Tiger").

And that situation is a calculation about the variables "Do I have to give a shit about other people, do I get to hurt people for not doing what I say, and am I a special snowflake who isn't held to same standard as others?"

If the answers are [No, Yes, Yes] then it's divine revelation. Otherwise its commutelepromptersocialatheisecularism with a side of creeping Sharia.

But see dear that's what you don't understand. Your womb isn't yours and my womb isn't mine. It's a place to grow babies on behalf of Jesus. To these people you don't really own yourself or your body. To these people rapists have more of a right to decide when they want to be father's than you and I have a right to decide when we want to be mothers.

Fuck them, they can DIAF.

I wish I had more than one upding to give. I also wish I had kept my uterus in a jar at the time of my hysterectomy to mail to these assholes. "Here! You wanted it? It's yours!"

Seems to me they are all up in my business... and every other woman's business.

They're just following the teachings of the "Good Book," which if you've skimmed even the cliff notes, takes a very dim view of women in general, but gets especially dark on the subject of independent-minded women.

To quote Dogma:

"Read the Bible again sometime. Women are painted as bigger antagonists than the Egyptians and Romans combined. It stinks. "

Wouldn't you, after seeing this picture? :P (and yes, I know this is the third time I've posted it...but there is no better visual symbol for the douchebaggitude that is Romney. For a bonus auditory assault, look at it while a megawatt stereo system blares "Eye of the Tiger").

Every Obama reelection ad should have this picture at the end. It should be drilled into the American psyche. It will be especially effective if Willard keeps refusing to release his tax filings, which he now says he will consider doing after he's been elected president.

Every Obama reelection ad should have this picture at the end. It should be drilled into the American psyche. It will be especially effective if Willard keeps refusing to release his tax filings, which he now says he will consider doing after he's been elected president.

Can you say rich entitled prick? They look like the Bad Boy records crew from the 1990s. Dolla, dolla bill, ya'll! Seriously, P-Diddy probably thinks this is classless.

The best nickname I've heard for him came about in recent months: "Mr. 1%." And it fits him so well, because from his appearance to his constant yammering on about being in "the private sector," he is a perfect representative of how out-of-step the GOP is with the common voter.

Trainwreck. I don't think I've seen so many references to God, the Bible, Christianity, Judeo-Christian, Jesus, or whatever in all my life.

In elections past, I shook my head at the almost fetishistic level of importance placed upon proving to voters that one is a good, devout Christian. Now? It's gone past being simply tacky and straight into "scary shit" territory.

In elections past, I shook my head at the almost fetishistic level of importance placed upon proving to voters that one is a good, devout Christian. Now? It's gone past being simply tacky and straight into "scary shit" territory.

Some folks say it started in the 60s during the first days of the abortion rights movement. My personal experience was during the early part of the 1980s. And I've heard references to God and religion during the campaigns. But never at this level. However, it was there and it was bad enough seeing it then during the early days of Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Jimmy Swaggart. It's taken on a life of its own.

I honesty don't think Mormons are more of a cult than any other religion. Was Joseph Smith a con man? Probably. But it may not have been difficult for Moses to climb a mountain, come back with stone tablets that he wrote, claimed God wrote them and totally wowed the Hebrews who were probably largely illiterate after being slaves for 100s of years and had no idea what they were looking at. It's also possible than when the Buddha claimed to have reached a state of enlightenment he was high as damn kite on some shit he found deep in the forest.

I don't care that Romney is a Mormon, that is his least problematic quality.

In elections past, I shook my head at the almost fetishistic level of importance placed upon proving to voters that one is a good, devout Christian. Now? It's gone past being simply tacky and straight into "scary shit" territory.

I recently read a novel where the plot involved a wackopath Rapture-believing cult leader wanting to set off a dirty bomb in order to precipitate said event. It got me thinking that, if there's anyone you want as far away from the Presidency as possible, it's a Biblical literalist end-times type.

I think the last couple months have been one long endorsement for the idea of taking Iowa off the top of the list of primaries.

Iowa has only been first in the nation since the Nixon years...and then it was done because they were feeling ignored and bitching like a bunch of sissies. Now that campaigning never ends, there's too much money involved for the state for them to ever give up their spot...Iowa's economy depends on it. Their 2010 state GDP was 147 million. The Presidential primary is worth about 15% of that every four years.

I recently read a novel where the plot involved a wackopath Rapture-believing cult leader wanting to set off a dirty bomb in order to precipitate said event. It got me thinking that, if there's anyone you want as far away from the Presidency as possible, it's a Biblical literalist end-times type.

I recently read a novel where the plot involved a wackopath Rapture-believing cult leader wanting to set off a dirty bomb in order to precipitate said event. It got me thinking that, if there's anyone you want as far away from the Presidency as possible, it's a Biblical literalist end-times type.

Oh, considering this field, I have no fear of some true wackadoodle winning the White House. My worry is that we'll get Romney or Newt, who will allow a Cantor-led House and a McConnell-led Senate to lead them by nose. It's not the guy in the White House that worries me, its the ones on Capital Hill who currently scare the shit out of me.

Oh, considering this field, I have no fear of some true wackadoodle winning the White House. My worry is that we'll get Romney or Newt, who will allow a Cantor-led House and a McConnell-led Senate to lead them by nose. It's not the guy in the White House that worries me, its the ones on Capital Hill who currently scare the shit out of me.

Speaking of which, I had to defriend a High School Acquaintance yesterday. Her constant advocacy of Ron Paul and echo chamberiness was grating. Not to mention she was acting the stereotype of a College Libertarian.

Oh, considering this field, I have no fear of some true wackadoodle winning the White House. My worry is that we'll get Romney or Newt, who will allow a Cantor-led House and a McConnell-led Senate to lead them by nose. It's not the guy in the White House that worries me, its the ones on Capital Hill who currently scare the shit out of me.

The dominionist/religious fanatics (scary as I find them) are the outside shot in terms of getting absolute control of the nation, but what I worry about is that they seem to understand that you don't just leap for throne. They're trying to influence things in local politics nudge by nudge...there is also the extended, moderately successful, and against-the-Uniform-Code to proselytize amongst military officers. I do fear the any (R) executive is going to pander to them in their legislative agenda and their court appointments.

Speaking of which, I had to defriend a High School Acquaintance yesterday. Her constant advocacy of Ron Paul and echo chamberiness was grating. Not to mention she was acting the stereotype of a College Libertarian.

I'm afraid the Paulites will be with us for a long time. I can see him staying the race until the GOP convention. If it weren't for the fact that it would hurt his son, I could see him going third party.

Someone registered a little earlier with the name 'captaincoon'. I'm not having a good feeling about this one.

Uh, Charles. Not for nothing, but there was that creationist dude that flounced out over the evolution stuff. Him and his lot call themselves "racoons". I don't recall his nic, but here's a cached link to his site.

I consider myself decently familiar with the Hebrew scriptures, and I know a little about the Greek ones. (One of my goals this year is to read the whole of the Greek testament properly through.)

I haven't ever seen the passage where they discuss the qualifications to be President of the United States. The only document I've ever seen outline that, actually, is the Constitution. Of the United States.

I consider myself decently familiar with the Hebrew scriptures, and I know a little about the Greek ones. (One of my goals this year is to read the whole of the Greek testament properly through.)

I haven't ever seen the passage where they discuss the qualifications to be President of the United States. The only document I've ever seen outline that, actually, is the Constitution. Of the United States.

Can someone direct me to this odd bit of prophecy?

You know I could be totally wrong, but it may even be possible that the Hebrews were unaware of a place called the United States. Perhaps they though it had been lost in the Great Flood?

You're right. That was BY. I believe he is also responsible for denying black men the priesthood and claiming Africans and their descendants had no souls. Yeah, that's the one I've got beef with. Smith just wanted to make some money, smoke some weed and bone lots of chicks.

He still has some stuff against him though. For example, his death was instigated by the fact that a newspaper in or near the town of Nauvoo was printing critical stories about him. He had it destroyed.

Uh, Charles. Not for nothing, but there was that creationist dude that flounced out over the evolution stuff. Him and his lot call themselves "racoons". I don't recall his nic, but here's a cached link to his site.

That dude's a stalker. Reminds me that Gagdad Bob and his flouncy gang were into racoons too. Odd.

I consider myself decently familiar with the Hebrew scriptures, and I know a little about the Greek ones. (One of my goals this year is to read the whole of the Greek testament properly through.)

I haven't ever seen the passage where they discuss the qualifications to be President of the United States. The only document I've ever seen outline that, actually, is the Constitution. Of the United States.

Can someone direct me to this odd bit of prophecy?

oh, i think i see your mistake: you've been reading the regular, old fashioned bible, which is only meant for qualified preachers and weird esoteric scholars that nobody listens to

please check the Boy's and Girl's Big Golden Book E-Z Evangelical Bible™ instead and you'll never be bothered by "questions" or "doubt"

I finally watched Downfall (Der Untergang, 2004) last night. Not trying to Godwin the thread (or the GOP), but it did make me feel a little less confident that crazy people inevitably "crap out" before attaining dangerous levels of power.

I finally watched Downfall (Der Untergang, 2004) last night. Not trying to Godwin the thread (or the GOP), but it did make me feel a little less confident that crazy people inevitably "crap out" before attaining dangerous levels of power.

I think the whole arc of human history should have disabused you of this notion. Being crazy enough to shit other people won't is a very good way to get power.

Doesn't God get pissed and smite Miriam? And didn't Deborah just convince some dude to go to war?

Yes, God gets angry at both Aaron and Miriam when they get in Moses' face about his wife, but Miriam is considered a great leader and prophet. Deborah judged the people, convinced Barak to go to war, accompanied him when he didn't think he could rally the tribes himself, and retained political control after his victory, which was clinched by another woman who is publically praised for having offed the enemy commander.

Torah assumes a male-dominated society, but there is very little to indicate that female leaders are not seen as entirely qualified, or that women did not have considerable authority in their own families and tribal units.

I finally watched Downfall (Der Untergang, 2004) last night. Not trying to Godwin the thread (or the GOP), but it did make me feel a little less confident that crazy people inevitably "crap out" before attaining dangerous levels of power.

Many years ago I would have made fun of music like that as "cheesy", but then I got an iPod, and discovered my appreciation of music greatly broadened when I could buy virtually any music on impulse and keep it in a little box where no one can see or hear it. ABBA Gold, Zanadu soundtrack, and 50 Cent all tucked away in my secret music diary.

I've heard Ethiopian be referred to as Beta Israel. Ethiopians and Somalians are some of the prettiest people on the planet.

Yeah, East Africa is Beautiful People Central.

Back in the 1980s, we called the Ethiopian Jews 'Falashas', not aware that that was actually a slur. They call themselves the Beta Israel, which is used now, and Israelis just say 'yehudi etiyopiah', Ethiopian Jews. Really amazing community. They practice a form of Judaism that bypassed the rabbinic tradition, and is very different from what everyone else does.

The Biblical name for the area is "Kush", and actually, getting back to Miriam, the story is that she and Aaron fight with Moses over his wife, 'a Kushite woman'. Since his wife has already been described as a Midianite, there's some confusion--is this Tziporah, is this someone else he marries, what's going on? One interpretation I've heard, actually, is that since the women of Ethiopia were known to be beautiful, this is Tziporah, and referring to her as a Kushite is shorthand for saying she's gorgeous.

wrong...wherever there are people, there is trade...you'd be surprised at how far reaching trade probably was in ancient times

There's constant reassessment of the extent of reach of trade in favor of "more contact." And that just the archaeological record. If you consider that in between sedentary civilization there were often pastoralist groups that acted as a part of a flow of goods, services, and ideas, there was probably even more contact.

Most people know my taste in music, even in real life. When Nightwish's "Imaginarium" comes out in the US in 11 days, I will get it, and Taylor Swift's "Speak Now." (Imaginarium was released in Europe on 11/30, and made 2x Platinum in Finland in 24 hours. Metal is still big over there.)

In the period from 1000 B.C. to 1 A.D., the Celts conquered and settled much of western and central Europe, acquiring wealth through raids and conquests. Archaeological evidence suggests that they mastered sophisticated metalworking technology and engaged in trade with distant partners. By the end of the period, Celtic society had attained relative stability, punctuated by increasing conflict with armies of the Roman empire.

There's constant reassessment of the extent of reach of trade in favor of "more contact." And that just the archaeological record. If you consider that in between sedentary civilization there were often pastoralist groups that acted as a part of a flow of goods, services, and ideas, there was probably even more contact.

Most people know my taste in music, even in real life. When Nightwish's "Imaginarium" comes out in the US in 11 days, I will get it, and Taylor Swift's "Speak Now." (Imaginarium was released in Europe on 11/30, and made 2x Platinum in Finland in 24 hours. Metal is still big over there.)

I'll be damned. I wish they would have had records, so it was more well known.

yah, there aren't any written records to speak of before the period 800-600 bc and then mostly in greece, although there is writing from the 1500 bc era in crete which however is little more than records of purchases and storerooms

My dad...I'm not sure if he got it published, but he once proposed that nomads--and in particular those that provided goods and services to sedentary populations, like European Roma (who used to be tinkers, entertainers, etc) were a "vector" by which intellectual and technological novelty were communicated from region to region. Not that they were intentionally "educating" people, but that it was a beneficial part of their economy to introduce new things...up to and including the professional storytellers and entertainers, whose only "product" was novelty.

My dad...I'm not sure if he got it published, but he once proposed that nomads--and in particular those that provided goods and services to sedentary populations, like European Roma (who used to be tinkers, entertainers, etc) were a "vector" by which intellectual and technological novelty were communicated from region to region. Not that they were intentionally "educating" people, but that it was a beneficial part of their economy to introduce new things...up to and including the professional storytellers and entertainers, whose only "product" was novelty.

I'm in his camp...he was correct
commerce and new ideas is the engine of growth

I thought it was disciplined in its presentation (which other people found boring) in that it neither over-dramatized or glossed over things. It took the time to show Magda Goebbels poison all her children, for instance. (I did laugh at the end of the scene where a general kills his family with a hand grenade and they cut to the girl's dolly. An old cliche.)

It's easy to criticize a movie like that for omissions, but I like that it set a goal of depicting a specific series of events and then tried to not "overthink" it. I know nothing of its accuracy, but would defend that type of picture against accusations of "humanizing" evil people because the real danger is in assuming that "stuff like that can't happen to me. I only know humans, after all. That shit only happens to the elves in the Word Of Warcraft." I think it's best to understand dangerous psychology at it most mundane because that's where it can be stopped, before it becomes so monstrous they write about it in history books. If only someone had helped weird little Adolf work through his feelings of hostility back when he was just some "nobody".

The pastors that are doing this re/ Michelle Bachmann are probably imagining themselves as filling the role of Samuel. Particularly since most of them have churches that look down upon other congregations as not or less Christian for not holding their political views.

Why is it a positive to say that "compromise" is a bad thing as the Bachmann signs indicate? Dictators don't compromise, but democracy DEMANDS it.

Happy New Year, everyone.

The hinted-at answer is that Bachmann et al view the demos as only people who agree with them to some extent, and therefore get to participate in the arche: "compromise" is what occurs within the authoritarian-with-theological-topping sub-segment they views as "true" US citizens.

Why is Jan 1 a holiday and Dec 31 is not? Most of the partying goes down tonight. As near as I can tell, the only two traditional activities of Jan 1, other than trying to make it home safe, are looking for the aspirin and resolving to lose weight.

I propose they split the holiday. From 4 pm on Dec 31 to 4 pm on Jan 1 is a holiday.

And by the way, my friends, Happy New Year from Bedfordshire, UK. She Who Must Be Obeyed is in the next room playing jigs and reels with a bunch of UK friends. Warm(ish) here. Over 50F the last couple of days. Nice!

We are leaving Monday for DC to (finally) plant my mom on top of my dad in Arlington, where she can ride his ass for eternity. Hope you are all well!

And by the way, my friends, Happy New Year from Bedfordshire, UK. She Who Must Be Obeyed is in the next room playing jigs and reels with a bunch of UK friends. Warm(ish) here. Over 50F the last couple of days. Nice!

We are leaving Monday for DC to (finally) plant my mom on top of my dad in Arlington, where she can ride his ass for eternity. Hope you are all well!

"Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." -- 1 Timothy 2:11-14, KJV

A woman would never be considered a legitimate leader if you follow the Bible.

A woman would never be considered a legitimate leader if you follow the Bible.

Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading[a] Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.

Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading[a] Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.

"Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I but also all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks."

Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading[a] Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.

Earlier this year, Bryan Fischer went so far as to say that he didn't think a woman should be president. I think Bachmann's people called him, because a couple of days later he wrote another column, saying that maybe it was OK, if the woman was a really special, called, woman.

I'm going to be interviewed on the Zev Brenner show this New Year's eve on the stroke of midnight, WMCA 570AM in the New York area. The topic will be the gender segregation issue in Israel. I was invited because of my unique experience, which I explained in this blog post.

I'm going to be interviewed on the Zev Brenner show this New Year's eve on the stroke of midnight, WMCA 570AM in the New York area. The topic will be the gender segregation issue in Israel. I was invited because of my unique experience, which I explained in this blog post.

I'm going to be interviewed on the Zev Brenner show this New Year's eve on the stroke of midnight, WMCA 570AM in the New York area. The topic will be the gender segregation issue in Israel. I was invited because of my unique experience, which I explained in this blog post.

And the popes listened to Catherine of Siena, and made her a Doctor of the Church. Couldn't say mass.

(Been to her house--it's around the corner from a great student bar in Pisa.)

The successors of Brigid of Kildare as abbess were considered to be on a par with bishops in Ireland for centuries. There's a beautiful old stained-glass window of St. Brigid in a San Francisco church. She's shown with a bishop's mitre, and oak leaves. Also, fire shooting out of her palm.

I'm going to be interviewed on the Zev Brenner show this New Year's eve on the stroke of midnight, WMCA 570AM in the New York area. The topic will be the gender segregation issue in Israel. I was invited because of my unique experience, which I explained in this blog post.

The successors of Brigid of Kildare as abbess were considered to be on a par with bishops in Ireland for centuries. There's a beautiful old stained-glass window of St. Brigid in a San Francisco church. She's shown with a bishop's mitre, and oak leaves. Also, fire shooting out of her palm.

Is there a voting bloc, other than the WASPs, that the GOP has not tried to piss off yet?

It's still not too late for Ron Paul to suggest that disabled Iraq / Afghanistan veterans should seek charity or free-market assistance rather than relying on VA handouts. Newt might have several brilliant ideas about how they could attach brooms and mops to their motorized wheelchairs and special toilet brush attachments to their prosthetic arms. Veterans returning home need jobs in this economy.

It's still not too late for Ron Paul to suggest that disabled Iraq / Afghanistan veterans should seek charity or free-market assistance rather than relying on VA handouts. Newt might have several brilliant ideas about how they could attach brooms and mops to their motorized wheelchairs and special toilet brush attachments to their prosthetic arms.

Don't worry--as soon as the shooting stops the chickenhawks will be after the Veterans' Administration for 'fraud, waste, and abuse'.

It's still not too late for Ron Paul to suggest that disabled Iraq / Afghanistan veterans should seek charity or free-market assistance rather than relying on VA handouts. Newt might have several brilliant ideas about how they could attach brooms and mops to their motorized wheelchairs and special toilet brush attachments to their prosthetic arms.

"There's no VA mentioned in the Constitution, so if you want medical care, find a charity that will pay your bills!"

Every Obama reelection ad should have this picture at the end. It should be drilled into the American psyche. It will be especially effective if Willard keeps refusing to release his tax filings, which he now says he will consider doing after he's been elected president.

Can you say rich entitled prick? They look like the Bad Boy records crew from the 1990s. Dolla, dolla bill, ya'll! Seriously, P-Diddy probably thinks this is classless.

He won't release his tax returns because he doesn't want us to know have proof he pays a lower tax rate than any of us -- even though his income is about 100 times higher.

Also, he probably doesn't want us to see that his charitable donations are miniscule. Other than tithing his church, what do you want to bet he gives away nothing at all? (the Kochs are assholes who don't care about the poor, but at least they give a ton to museums and the symphony).

He won't release his tax returns because he doesn't want us to know have proof he pays a lower tax rate than any of us -- even though his income is about 100 times higher.

Also, he probably doesn't want us to see that his charitable donations are miniscule. Other than tithing his church, what do you want to bet he gives away nothing at all? (the Kochs are assholes who don't care about the poor, but at least they give a ton to museums and the symphony).

Yep, he knows that his tax returns would be a powerful tool in a year when wealth disparity and tax dodging are major campaign issues, so he's going to find every excuse he can to avoid releasing them.

The UK is hosting the Olympics this summer and the New Year's fireworks show opposite Big Ben at midnight, Greenwich time, was spectacular on the BBC. Big year in England, and they wanted a Big Start. One of my compatriots tonight mentioned that the display was probably half of the Ministry of Defense's ammunition budget for Afghanistan.

Evening Lizardim. Boy, what a weird way to wrap up 2011. It's been a really bass-ackwards year in politics. I'm wondering, with some trepidation, what 2012 will have in store for us. (Besides the end of the world.)

Evening Lizardim. Boy, what a weird way to wrap up 2011. It's been a really bass-ackwards year in politics. I'm wondering, with some trepidation, what 2012 will have in store for us. (Besides the end of the world.)

The right Republican
Although the presidency is theirs for the taking, America’s Republicans are in danger of throwing it away

...These fatwas explain the rum list of candidates: you either have to be an unelectable extremist who genuinely believes all this, or a dissembler prepared to tie yourself in ever more elaborate knots (the flexible Mr Romney).

Stupid me. I once though I respect Dan Choi. Screw him. He's jumped the shark. I don't know if he's still a commissioned officer but he deserves to get booted out now if he hasn't been already. Conduct benefiting an officer.

I'm going to be interviewed on the Zev Brenner show this New Year's eve on the stroke of midnight, WMCA 570AM in the New York area. The topic will be the gender segregation issue in Israel. I was invited because of my unique experience, which I explained in this blog post.

Unfortunately, the fundie evangelicals follow Paul more than they do anyone or anything else in the Bible. It's why they're so big on women being submissive to men.

Bachmann would never be considered legitimate by the same fundies she's aligned herself with. They don't want a woman in power.

It telling that 1st Timothy is remembered for the barring of women from leadership in the Church...although there's a lot of debate about what Paul meant (hooray for translation ambiguities)...and for that matter, if this Epistle is authentic...but the admonitions about treatment of the needy (widows, elders, etc) and the warnings against greed have fallen to the wayside.

It's not just the Paul was a dick. Everyone who has read 1st Timothy and only come away with "husband of one wife" is an active participant in dickery.

I just don't think there's anything wrong with making a pile of money. The idea of people attacking him for that reason makes me queasy. Especially if he paid his taxes appropriately.

I think there's a problem with making a pile of money by driving companies to bankruptcy and killing thousands of jobs, which is how Romney made his money at Bain. The man's estimated worth is between $190 and $250 million, much of it likely taxed at way under what somebody who made half as much annually paid in taxes due to various loopholes and dodges that are available only to the rich and well-connected.

Really, every candidate who has run since Watergate has released his tax returns and had his wealth scrutinized. Romney should be no different.

I just don't think there's anything wrong with making a pile of money. The idea of people attacking him for that reason makes me queasy. Especially if he paid his taxes appropriately.

If his tax rate is already lower than mine (because it's all capital gains and no salary) -- and he's pushing an economic plan that involves lowering his rate even further (or eliminating his own taxes altogether) and making up the revenue by reducing medicare and medicaid and pell grants... *of course* that deserves attack.

I just don't think there's anything wrong with making a pile of money. The idea of people attacking him for that reason makes me queasy. Especially if he paid his taxes appropriately.

Well, I think the issue goes beyond acceptable tax accounting: Romney has talked about what America's economy "needs"--no new taxes on higher brackets, no new taxes on capital gains--touting his accomplishments as a businessman as his proof.

Well...his tax returns are going to tell a lot about how he made his income: honestly, or through legal-but-contradictory-to-his-narrative maneuvers that screwed over little people.

Okay...time to close my laptop, shower up and prep for NYE at a friend's house, so...

Happy New Year to everyone here (and your loved ones). Be safe. Remember that a cab ride (even an expensive one) is cheaper than a DUI.

See you all next year...if not earlier. God knows we'll probably be home by 10.

I'm in luck in that there's a bar on the ground floor of the building my apartment is on. So I can go get a few drinks for NYE and get back in safely since I don't think you can get a DUI using an elevator.

Speaking of Mittens, the CNN app on my iPad just came up with the results of a Des Moines Register poll, showing him in lead with Paul a close second. So if that holds, the primaries may be over quicker than we thought.

Michele thinks she's is "Biblically qualified" to be President? She must have missed this oldie but goodie (one of many) in the Bible about the proper role of women:
"As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. What! Did the word of God originate with you, or are you the only ones it has reached? If any one thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord. If any one does not recognize this, he is not recognized".
(1 Corinthians 14:33-38)

i mean, really; Mars is really very Earth-like and may have been more so in the past. there is very little remotely Earth- if not human-like about Bachmann.

besides, i think she's probably from (appropriately) one of the gas giants. you know, like Uranus? maybe some podunk asteroid -- not even a "dwarf planet" (shakes fist at Neil Degrasse Tyson) -- but from the Kuiper Belt way out past Pluto, not from the main belt.

actually, i think Bizarro World may be most accurate, assuming Superman fans or DC Comics don't mind.